GAME NIGHT 10/12: Punahou/Waianae

No. 2 Punahou 52, Waianae 0, FINAL

Punahou tacks on a TD with reserves on offense. Theo Chun carries the ball four times on this drive, scoring from the 1. PUNAHOU 52, WAIANAE 0, 2:41, Q4.

Horn drills a 32-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter, but oddly, the clock still shows 12:00. There was no untimed down at the end of the third stanza. PUNAHOU 45, WAIANAE 0, 12:00, Q4.

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Third quarter ends with Punahou at the Waianae 15-yard line. Mercy rule made this a quick quarter with the running clock. Muasau looks much sharper now, but the wind has also died down.

Waianae opens the second half with a strong drive. Shayden Lopes, who was not on the field during pre-game warmups, entered the game when Poepoe hurt his leg late in the first half. Here, he connects for completions of 38 and 27 yards on play-action out of the wing-T. Nice. Fourth and goal from the 6, Lopes is sacked by a host of Buffanblu.
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HALFTIME
The Seariders struggled mightily on offense with 18 rushing yards on 18 attempts. They did not complete a pass in eight attempts. Punahou, like many teams, was unable to run on Waianae’s front seven and had two rushing yards on seven carries. However, Brady was 10-for-16, 164 yards and three TDs after the early interception. Muasau is 3-for-9, 52 yards and one TD. Dancil-Evans (four receptions, 65 yards) and Falatea (four, 80) are probably done for the night.

At Raymond Torii Field
Punahou 7 35 xx xx — 42
Waianae 0 0 xx xx — 0
PUN—Moku Dancil-Evans 30 pass from Hugh Brady (Tim Horn kick)
PUN—Koa Eldredge 25 pass from Brady (Horn kick)
PUN—Alaka‘i Gilman 25 fumble return (Horn kick)
PUN—Gilman 30 interception return (Horn kick)
PUN—Tamatoa Falatea 40 pass from Brady (Quinn Maretzki kick)
PUN—Sitiveni Kaufusi 20 pass from Kobe Muasau (Maretzki kick)

RUSHING—
Punahou:
#4 Kaufusi 5-11,
#19 Terrell 1-(-6),
#14 Brady 1-(-3)

Waianae:
#81 Malik Brown 3-(-1),
#48 Jesse Kuehu 7-23,
#11 Kevin Poepoe 7-(-4),
#45 Seanuinui Madeira 1-0

PASSING—
Punahou:
#14 Brady 10-16-1-164,
#16 Muasau 3-9-0-52

Waianae:
#11 Poepoe 0-7-1-0,
#12 Shaydon Lopes 0-1-0-0

RECEIVING—
Punahou:
#6 Dancil-Evans 4-65,
#10 Falatea 4-80,
#19 Terrell 2-21,
#4 Kaufusi 1-20,
#22 Eldredge 2-30

Waianae:
None

Punahou drives to the Waianae 6, pass by Muasau to Kanoa Kalahiki is incomplete as time expires in the first half.

Another Waianae fumble is recovered by Punahou, this time at the Waianae 27. Two plays later, reserve QB Kobe Muasau finds Sitiveni wide, wide open on the left sideline for an easy 20-TD. PUNAHOU 42, WAIANAE 0, 5:05, Q2.

Waianae goes three-and-out, punt downed at the Seariders’ 41. Two plays later, Brady to Falatea down the left sideline, 40-yard bomb, TD. He was on target this time even though the wind has picked up from the ocean, crossing left to right for the Punahou offense. PUNAHOU 35, WAIANAE 0, 6:30, Q2.

Incredible. After Waianae’s kickoff return, Poepoe’s pass on the right side is picked off by Alaka‘i, who races 30 yards to the pylon for his second touchdown in 18 seconds. PUNAHOU 28, WAIANAE 0, 9:29, Q2.

Waianae’s sixth series begins with promise. 5-yard gain by Jesse Kuehu. But the next handoff exchange between QB Kevin Poepoe and Kuehu is mishandled, and Alaka‘i Gilman returns the pigskin 25 yards for a Punahou TD. PUNAHOU 21, WAIANAE 0, 9:47, Q2.

Waianae’s fifth series ends with a fifth punt. Crackback penalty called on Punahou during the return, may have been an ejection, as well. PUnahou drives to the Waianae 48, injury time out with 10:53 left in the second quarter. Brady finds Terrell down the left sideline for a 23-yard gain. That should’ve been 6, but the ball was slightly off target and Terrell had to turn toward the sideline as he caught it, went out of bounds. Time out, Waianae, 10:40 left in the first half. Next snap, Brady has lots of time in the pocket, sends a pass to Koa Eldredge on a crossing route and he runs in untouched for a 25-yard TD. PUNAHOU 14, WAIANAE 0, 10:31, Q2.

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The first quarter ends with Waianae in the wing-T formation. Run for no gain. Play-action is a sack by Trent Shiraki, a 7-yard loss. Waianae has third-and-17 at its 5-yard line to end the first.

Waianae three-and-out. Punahou three-and-out.

Waianae’s Braeson Rosa and sack Brady for a 3-yard loss, and LB Paul Fano takes Terrell down for a 2-yard loss on a screen pass. Punahou punts.

Horn’s kickoff sails into the end zone for a touchback. Waianae trying hard to establish a ground game to no avail. Punt by Zefften Thompson-Avilla is 50 yards, the last 12-15 on a bounce, and returned 19 yards by Terrell to the Punahou 38.

Waianae with another three-and-out. Booming 42-yard punt is returned 30 yards by Terrell. The Buffanblu cover 48 yards in three plays. Brady to Moku Dancil-Evans on a 30-yard play-action TD toss over the middle. PUNAHOU 7, WAIANAE 0, 6:05, Q1.

Buffanblu’s second series is another three-and-out. Waianae’s defense is very prepared for Punahou’s passing-game tendencies. Brady gave Tamatoa Falatea a deep shot, but overthrew him. Punt by Tim Horn, 36 yards and downed at the Waianae 29 with 8:27 left, first quarter.

Waianae with great field position, but goes three and out. Punt return of 23 yards by Vince Terrell gives Punahou the ball at their 33.

Buffanblu turn the ball over on their opening series. Safety Nainoa Machado returns an overthrown pass by Punahou QB Hugh Brady to the Buffanblu 46.

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PRE-GAME
Waianae wins the coin toss and defers. Punahou will receive facing the makai end zone.

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Pre-game (4 pm) conditions at Raymond Tori Field: overcast, trades 5-10 mph, not overly humid. Will it rain? I’m guessing just a bit.

This is not a must-win for Waianae, which still has a chance to qualify for the OIA Open playoffs if all the dominoes fall its way. The game will not count in the OIA standings for the Seariders, and they need a win next week against Campbell to have a shot at the post-season.

For Punahou, a win or loss has no effect on its place in the ILH standings. They’re the No. 2 in the ILH regardless and will play third-place Kamehameha in the opening round of their league playoffs.

It would seem best for Punahou to rest the starters, avoid injury and go home to prepare for Kamehameha, right? I am 100-percent sure the Buffanblu won’t do that. For decades, teams like Punahou have clamored for inter-league play during the regular season, and coming to legendary Raymond Torii Field wouldn’t be any fun if they didn’t give the Seariders all the effort — and personnel power — humanly possible.

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For Punahou’s roster, click here
For Waianae’s roster, click here
SERIES HISTORY: Waianae leads 4-2 but Punahou has won two in a row and didn’t earn its first win against the Seariders until 2006 … This is Punahou’s second visit to Waianae … Punahou has had a passer go over 200 yards in five of the six matchups but has never had a 100-yard rusher against the Seariders … The Buffanblu have had a receiver go over 100 yards in four of the six matchups and two in a row … Waianae has been held under 20 points by Punahou only once … Waianae has never had a passer go over 200 yards against and hasn’t had a rusher go over 100 since James Holt had 118 in 1977 … The Seariders have never had a receiver go over 91 yards against the Buffanblu.

PUNAHOU STATS